


Call Pack Animal

by king_kroolkodile



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 21:19:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10396422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/king_kroolkodile/pseuds/king_kroolkodile
Summary: Odahviing draws the line at being a pack animal.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this to [fill a prompt](http://skyrimkinkmeme.livejournal.com/3389.html?thread=5504061#t5504061) on the Skyrim kink meme nearly 4 years ago and have decided to upload it here with very minor edits since I surprisingly still like it after all this time. So yes, I am the original author.

Windhelm was alive with battle.

Fire and smoke billowed from buildings, some with damaged walls or caved-in roofs. Civilians were nowhere to be seen on the streets, only warring Stormcloak and Imperial soldiers as the latter continued to pour into Windhelm. The Dragonborn - donning his own set of Imperial armor - charged his way through the narrow Stormcloak filled pathways. Above, a crimson dragon roared fiercely as it flew over.

While the civil war itself was nothing more than a petty mortal concern, it did not stop Odahviing from reveling in the heat of the ongoing battle. Descending, he stretched out his talons to pick up an unsuspecting Stormcloak warrior. After the numerous battles his master had called him to, Odahviing had no problem picking out their foes by now. He clenched them tightly, piercing his victim's frail body with his talons and simply releasing it from midair.

Odahviing rapidly took a hard turn to avoid an onslaught of arrows and circled back around, unleashing a stream of fire at his attackers while he passed. A satisfied grunt escaped his throat when their pained cries reached him. He spotted the Dragonborn below just in time to see him enter the grand palace with two other humans close behind. Odahviing was not discouraged to depart for his duty had not been fulfilled. There would be no trace of their enemy by the time his master reemerged. He would make sure of that.

+

The sun had began its descent into the horizon by the time every Stormcloak had been virtually eradicated within the city's walls. By then, Odahviing's maw was bloodied from the multiple men he crushed between his powerful jaws despite the few deep gashes their weapons left on his snout. An arrow or three remained lodged in his thick hide as well. Nothing he was't used to or couldn't recover from, however.

By the time the Dragonborn and his allies exited the palace, Odahviing had perched on the structure's roof just above the doors. The Dragonborn appeared to have suffered his own battle wounds, favoring his right arm. Although, his own warhammer was well bloodied too.

"The rebellion is over," the male near the Dragonborn began, the latter's superior from what Odahviing understood, "Ulfric Stormcloak is dead!"

Victorious yells erupted from the remaining Imperial soldiers gathered in front of the palace's doors, some waving their weapons or shields in the air. The Dragonborn silently raised his own weapon up with both hands despite his injury, prompting Odahviing to release a triumphant roar himself.

As the other male continued addressing the men, the Dragonborn glanced up at the dragon and gave him a pleased nod. Odahviing knew he had served his thur well that day, and he most certainly looked forward to what battles awaited them in the future.

+

Since the Battle in Windhelm, numerous foes had fallen to both the Dragonborn and Odahviing. Fellow dov, giants, mammoths, and entire bandit camps; none could stand against their might. However, Odahviing soon found himself dreading his master's call rather than eagerly expecting it.

Over time, the frequency of the Dragonborn's calls had greatly increased. It seemed like a positive change from the start, but now the once glorious battles Odahviing reveled in were few and far between. Upon answering his master's call, he would be greeted with a small wolf pack, bears, spiders, or something else just as pathetic. They were hardly worth his time. It was practically insulting.

A simple solution would be ignoring the summons altogether, but Odahviing felt he was above that. He pledged to answer his call, and as he had told the Dragonborn once before, he was no liar.

_Od Ah Viing!_

The dragon momentarily froze, his mouth agape just as he was about to bite into his fresh kill. He growled in agitation and quickly sunk his teeth into the dead mammoth, angrily ripping off a large chunk of raw flesh. Chewing briefly and swallowing, Odahviing reluctantly took to the sky. For the Dragonborn's sake, the flight had better be worth it this time.  
+

The Dragonborn patiently watched the sky, using one hand to block the afternoon sunlight from his vision. He smiled the instant he heard an all too familiar roar in the distance. His dragon hadn't let him down yet.

Odahviing searched the vicinity, no doubt for hostiles. Finding none, the Dragonborn took a few steps back as the dragon descended to land on the road just a short distance from him. "There is no threat here," Odahviing spoke slowly, "Why have you called me?"

"Oh, right, well there was a threat. I already took care of them." the Dragonborn pointed behind him to a few dead men strewn about. He thought he heard the red dragon growl, probably because he missed all the fun.

With his glare fixated on the Dragonborn, Odahviing silently stretched his wings out to depart, "Wait!" the Dragonborn hastily added before the dragon could actually lift off the ground, "I do need your help with something though."

Odahviing almost didn't want to ask, but maybe this would not be a wasted trip after all, "Aam? What is it you need help with, Dovahkiin?" hopefully it was clearing out a bandit infested fort at least.

The Dragonborn grinned and jogged off the road. Stopping in front of a tree, he bent down at the base of its trunk. Odahviing lifted his head somewhat to see what the Dragonborn was doing, slightly tilting it to the side when the Dragonborn stood back up. He carried two large - and very full - knapsacks in his arms, appearing to be struggling with them before he set them down on the ground in front of Odahviing. The Dragonborn ran back to the tree and retrieved three additional weapons as well, not counting his own.

"As you can see, my hands are a bit full. So I need you to give me a lift to Whiterun." he grabbed a coil of rope sitting on top of one of his bags, "Don't worry, I already figured out how to secure my equipment. I just have to tie this around you somewhere-"

"Nid."

The Dragonborn stopped with rope in hand, "What?"

"Nid!" Odahviing repeated in what was practically a Thu'um, forcing the Dragonborn to take a few steps back out of caution, "No more, Dovahkiin. Zu'u ni zaam!"

"No more? No more what?" it was like he was talking to a small child all of a sudden.

Odahviing snarled, his glare burning right through him, "Day after day you have called me to kill sahlo hokoron. All unworthy of my time. Now you expect me to carry your burden whilst flying you across Keizaal, med key."

"Well I'm sorry, dragons and giants have been pretty hard to come by lately. I didn't think this request would be that much of a bother to a big strong dragon like yourself," the Dragonborn crossed his arms, "Besides, I thought you liked all this extra battling we've been doing. You used to love it back when the civil war was going on."

"Geh, you did not beckon for me at every waking moment then. When you did call, it was for foes worthy of our might. Morokei grah voth Alduin. I would not be having this dicussion with the World Eater."

The Dragonborn's face twisted into a glare of his own, "You're not having this discussion with Alduin because **I** killed him, remember?"

Odahviing lowered his snout to where it was at the Dragonborn's level, "I recognize your strength, Dovahkiin, but I am unsure if I want to answer your call from now on. Tinvaak wah Wuth Gein. I believe I would prefer speaking with Paarthurnax instead." the Dragonborn was unable to be certain if he meant that or not judging by his tone, but Odahviing didn't give him time to think about it as he lifted off the ground.

_Yol Toor Shul!_

The Dragonborn barely had time to throw himself out of the way of Odahviing's shout, looking over his shoulder to see that all of his belongings had been burned to a crisp. Odahviing glanced down at him, "Now you are unburdened." he remarked and blew a puff of black smoke at him, then flew off.

+

It had been some time since Odahviing last spoke with the Dragonborn, and his name didn't echo through the skies once during that time either. Unfortunately, his hunger for dominating foes was hardly satisfied by hunting mammoths and occasionally the giants themselves. He had also spent a small amount of his time conversing with Paarthurnax, sometimes feasting on his kill at the Throat of the World rather than his usual roost. Their conversations were very brief, considering Odahviing had no desire to follow the Way of the Voice. Nor did he possess the patience to listen to the Old One any longer than he had to.

The peak of the Throat of the World came into view, and Odahviing could see Paarthurnax perched in his usual spot on the word wall. He took a wide turn to begin his descent, but hesitated when he spotted a smaller figure sitting before the older dragon. The Dragonborn, no doubt. An agitated grunt escaped his throat. He was in no mood to speak with him yet.

Odahviing stayed his path, planning to simply pass over the pair and retreat to his roost. However, he did not notice that the Dragonborn had left his spot and appeared to be running at him.

_Gol Hah Dov!_

The Dragonborn's Thu'um collided with Odahviing, forcing the dragon to falter as he struggled to continue onward. He had been close to clearing the peak, but took an unexpected sharp turn back around. The will to ignore the Dragonborn seemed to be decreasing.

Odahviing couldn't help feel that perhaps the Dragonborn didn't deserve this treatment. The mortal was still his master, and strongest of the dov. Perhaps he was carrying this new grudge much longer than necessary.

He landed before the Dragonborn and respectively bowed his head, "Hail, thuri. Shall we fly together?" his tone was pleasantly sincere as he stretched his neck out invitingly.

The Dragonborn couldn't help smirking, securing his knapsnack slung over his shoulder. The thing was getting a bit heavy again, "Indeed we shall." he hurried to board the crimson dragon. He was certain that with time Odahviing would cool off from their previous discussion. They had been through a lot together since Alduin's defeat after all.

Of course, the new Shout he learned in Solstheim could definitely speed up the process.


End file.
